Modular and portable shelter with integrated hub

Abstract

A modular and portable shelter is disclosed. The shelter includes a base designed to sit on a surface, such as the ground. The shelter also includes support poles, with each support pole including a first end that releasably couples to the base and a second end. Additionally, the shelter includes a hub defining a openings along an outer perimeter thereof, with each opening being angled downwardly and slidably receiving a respective second end of a respective support pole. Further disclosed is a shelter system which includes portable shelters positioned adjacently and coupled via connecting rods. The connecting rods detachably connect between the hubs of the adjacent portable shelters to form a larger overall structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable shelter comprising:
 a base configured to sit on a surface; 
 a plurality of support poles, with each support pole comprising a first end that releasably couples to the base and a second end; and 
 a hub defining a plurality of openings along an outer perimeter thereof, with each of the plurality of openings:
 being angled downwardly; and 
 slidably receiving a respective second end of a respective support pole of the plurality of support poles, wherein the hub further defines a plurality of holes along the outer perimeter thereof, with the plurality of holes being disposed above the plurality of openings. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the hub is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       3. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are angled downwardly, relative to a bottom surface of the hub, in the range of approximately four to five degrees. 
     
     
       4. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings extend further into the hub than the plurality of holes. 
     
     
       5. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of holes are configured to slidably receive a respective connecting rod. 
     
     
       6. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a canopy disposed over and supported by the hub and the plurality of support poles. 
     
     
       7. The portable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a base bottom and a plurality of base sidewalls that extend upwardly from the base bottom, with the plurality of support poles releasably coupling to the plurality of base sidewalls. 
     
     
       8. A portable shelter system comprising:
 a first portable shelter comprising:
 a first base configured to sit on a surface; 
 a first plurality of support poles, with each support pole of the first plurality of support poles comprising a first end that releasably couples to the first base and a second end; and 
 a first hub defining a first plurality of openings along an outer perimeter thereof, with each of the first plurality of openings:
 being angled downwardly; and 
 
 slidably receiving a respective second end of a respective support pole of the first plurality of support poles; and 
 
 a second portable shelter comprising:
 a second base configured to sit on the surface; 
 a second plurality of support poles, with each support pole of the second plurality of support poles comprising a first end that releasably couples to the second base and a second end; and 
 a second hub defining a second plurality of openings along an outer perimeter thereof, with each of the second plurality of openings:
 being angled downwardly; and 
 
 slidably receiving a respective second end of a respective support pole of the plurality of support poles; and 
 
 a connecting rod removably coupled to the first hub and the second hub to connect the first portable shelter and the second portable shelter. 
 
     
     
       9. The portable shelter system of  claim 8 , wherein the first hub defines a first hole along the outer perimeter thereof and the second hub defines a second hole along the outer perimeter thereof, the connecting rod being removably coupled to the first hub and the second hub within the first hole and the second hole.